The Reluctant Author
by Topazicatzbeth
Summary: One shot. Chin discovers a great crime novel that the others just have to read.


**Note: This one is just pure fluff. Can you believe it? No whump.**

**Thanks to Wenwalke who did an excellent job as usual and came up with the title. **

Steve placed down the book he was reading and frowned at it. _No way, he was being paranoid. Wasn't he?_

Chin had been the first one to read the book. A present from his Uncle, he had come in raving about how good the book was. The attention to detail, and proper police procedure, was a refreshing change. He had bigged it up so much, that once finished, Kono had called dibs on the copy and started to read it too. She had practically bounced into the office one morning, excited to discuss what had happen in the novel with Chin. That was when Lou Grover decided he would read it too, and not to be left out, Steve had also gone and bought a copy. And although neither man would openly admit it, they were in a race to finish it before the other. This was why Steve had cut his normal daily swim short, by half an hour today, so he could squeeze in some reading time while eating his breakfast of Muesli and yoghurt.

Chin and Kono had been right. The book was gripping, and not the usual run of the mill crime novel. There were twists and turns that he hadn't expected, and yet when he read it he felt at ease and strangely familiar with the writers style. The police procedure was bang on. Who ever had written it had done their research.

The only one on the team not to show any interest in the book had been Danny. When Steve offered to lend him his copy, once he had finished it, Danny had politely declined, stating it wasn't really his thing. But Steve had seen Danny's book collection. He had helped pack and unpack it when Danny was moving from hotel room to hotel room, so he knew it was exactly what Danny liked. So why hadn't Danny wanted to read it, and come to think of it, whenever they were discussing the book, Danny would attempt to change the topic.

But now Steve had just read a sentence that stopped him in his tracks._ Apology is noted, acceptance is pending_. Wasn't that exactly what Danny had said to him the first day they had met? Exactly word for word? But Danny couldn't have been quoting the book, it was a new release. What were the chances it was a coincidence?

Staring at the book, Steve looked at the author's name. Daniel Grace. Was that a coincidence too? Flipping the book open he searched for the author's dedication. He hadn't bothered to read it before, diving straight in, in a rush to beat Lou and catch up to Kono. _To my daughter. This book would never have been published without her. _Ok. Another coincidence, the author had a daughter.

But Steve had a nagging feeling in his gut. He thought back to Danny's behaviour over the past month. Not once had he complained when Steve conveniently forgot his wallet, instead he had just paid the bill. For Kono's birthday he had gotten her a beautiful necklace, and hadn't Danny mentioned something about Grace starting riding lessons. Then there was the two week holiday Danny had just got back from. A last minute surprise trip for Grace to Disneyland, during the school holidays, that must have cost a fortune. At the time Steve thought Danny must have been secretly saving, not saying anything in case he didn't save enough, but now he was thinking otherwise.

Could Danny really have written this book? Why wouldn't he have told them? More investigation was needed. Steve didn't want to embarrass himself if he was wrong. Surely he was wrong. But then again the team didn't believe in coincidences.

5-0-5-0-5-0-5-0

Danny picked Steve up as usual, and they headed into the office, but Steve decided to let Danny drive that morning. As he pulled out his book Danny laughed, "That's why I get to drive my car? So you can read?"

"Yeah," Steve replied, "Can't have Lou finishing before me."

"What about the carsickness? Surely reading makes it worse?" Danny sceptically questioned.

Steve gave a cheeky grin over the book. "I knew it. I knew you were bullshitting the psychologist. Carsick my ass." Danny said before taking a harsh right.

"You know you really should read this. You'd enjoy it. It's right up your street with correct police procedure." Steve said trying to goad Danny.

"Ha, police procedure? What would you know about police procedure, Steven? Nowhere, in the handbook does it say to store Grenades in the glove box." Danny replied, but Steve noted the blush that quickly appeared in his partner's cheeks.

"That was one time, Daniel. You really have to let it go." Steve replied and decided to let the topic of the book go until they arrived at the office.

5-0-5-0-5-0-5-0

As soon as everyone arrived Steve gathered them all around the smart table. Danny's response in the car had given him the courage to probe deeper, and if he was wrong, then he would take the embarrassment on the chin.

"We got a new case?" Kono asked.

"Not exactly," Steve replied. "But I got to thinking, this morning, and I was hoping you could help me. Chin can you do a background check on Daniel Grace?"

Danny's head snapped up, and Steve spotted the shocked expression on his face.

"Daniel Grace, as in the author of the book we're reading?" Chin questioned.

"Yeah, I want to know more about him." Steve replied.

"Steve, that's an invasion of privacy, not to mention inappropriate use of our resources." Danny said, and Steve could see Danny's pulse throbbing in his neck. He was right. He really was right.

"Not really. I have valid concerns." Steve played along. "This guy knows a lot about the way police work. Knows how evidence is handled. How could he know that, Danny?"

"A little thing called research, Steve. Anyway, what does it matter if he knows how evidence is handled, or how long they could hold the guy for assault charges?"

"I thought you hadn't read the book Danny? How did you know about the assault charges?" Chin questioned.

"I... I… "Danny stammered, and Steve knew he had him. "I don't know, you guys have been raving about it, you must have mentioned it."

"I'm pretty sure we didn't, Danny." Steve smiled as he locked eyes with his best friend and saw the moment when Danny realised he had been busted.

"Shit." Danny sighed causing the others to frown, they still hadn't cottoned on. "How long have you known?"

"You just confirmed my theory." Steve beamed and crossed his arms across his chest looking very proud of himself.

"Err... I'm confused. What's going on?" Lou asked, looking from one partner to the other.

"Guys, meet Daniel Grace." Steve said gesturing towards Danny with both hands.

"What, no way," Kono exclaimed.

"Is this a wind up?" Lou asked.

"I knew some of those phrases sounded familiar." Chin said gob smacked.

Danny let out a long sigh, pulled out a chair and sank into it. "Ok busted. I wrote the book."

"How the hell did you find the time to write a book, while working for 5-0, and being a single parent?" Lou asked.

"I didn't. I wrote it before 5-0." Danny answered.

"I didn't even know you liked to write." Kono said moving closer to the blonde detective.

"Neither did I, really. Not until I moved here."

"So you gonna tell us the whole story now, Brah?" Chin asked, still amazed that Danny was behind the book he had enjoyed so much.

"Ok. I wrote it when I first moved here. I didn't know anyone, so when I didn't have Grace, or wasn't working, I didn't have much." Danny answered, thinking back to one of the loneliest times of his life. "Grace bought me some books to keep me occupied, but I always got hung up on the lack of detail, or when they messed up all the factual stuff. One day I was moaning to Grace about it and she made a flippant comment that I should write one myself. I laughed it off at the time, but then that night, I started to think about it."

"So you started to write?" Steve asked.

"Yeah, but it was only supposed to be for me. No one was supposed to see it."

"So how did it end up getting published?" Chin questioned.

"I saved it on a USB and forgot about it. Grace found the USB a few months ago and asked if she could use it. I didn't even realise it was the one with the story on." Danny explained.

"So Grace found it. That explains the dedication." Steve smiled.

"Yeah, she found it and showed it to Step-Stan."

"Oh boy," Steve said knowing that Danny wouldn't have been happy about that.

"Yeah, I know. But he thought it was good, and has a cousin who works for a publisher, so he sent it to him for his thoughts. The first I knew of it was when Rachel and Stan flew back with Grace, along with an offer to publish my book."

"Wow." Kono said looking amazed.

"So, why all the secrecy? Why the pen name?" Steve asked, wondering why his best friend had kept his good news to himself.

"Because I didn't want anyone to know I wrote it. I didn't want to risk compromising my credibility as a detective. I'm sorry I didn't tell you all, but I didn't think it would even come up on your radars. Then when I saw Chin with the book and you all start to read it. I guess I was just embarrassed. I didn't know what to say when you were all raving about it."

Kono stood up and disappeared into her office, returning with her copy of the book and handed it to Danny, along with a pen. "I'll forgive you, as long as you autograph it for me."

"Autograph it? Are you serious?" Danny asked shocked.

"Sure am, and no attempt at a fake signature, I want your proper name. It will be worth a fortune in the future."

Danny laughed, "I think that might be wishful thinking babe." But he signed the book and passed it back to her.

"I think we could all be persuaded to forgive you over dinner tonight, on you of course." Lou smiled.

"I think I can manage that, but I can't stay out too long. The publishers are pushing for a sequel, and I was hoping to work on it tonight, because Grace has a sleepover."

"A sequel, wow, you must be making a mint from this." Steve said bluntly.

"I've made a fair bit. Let's just say Step-Stan isn't the only one that can now buy Grace a horse. But this is just a hobby guys. My job is 5-0 first and foremost. Please can we keep it just between us?" Danny begged.

"Course we can, Brah." Chin reassured, "but I want a signed copy too."

"Done," Danny said shaking his hand.

"I think we can all agree to that." Steve said, "But you're still buying dinner, and I feel like surf and turf."

"That's fine, whatever you all want." Danny said relieved.

"I have one other proviso." Steve stated.

"Ok." Danny replied cautiously.

"You let me buy the champagne. I'm proud of you Danny." Steve said clapping his best friend on the back.

"Thanks, Steve. But not the expensive stuff, ok." Danny replied.

"Fine, ok. Not the expensive stuff." Steve conceded.

"Good, 'cos we all know I'm gonna end up paying for that too, when you conveniently forget your wallet, again." Danny said with a smirk as he grabbed Steve's book and signed it.

**THE END**


End file.
